I love the Rays. They have been my team since the Giants and White Sox and other teams were using us to get their own stadium deals. I still remember going to that sporting goods shop on the north side of Hillsborough (next to the boat place) and buying a purple-brimmed Devil Rays cap the first week they were available. It is still the only time in my life that I thought purple was the most beautiful color around.

And I love you guys. I really do. Especially those of you that really can’t stand me. You guys keep me honest.

But in the end, all I have ever wanted for this site was one place where you could find all the Rays news. Some of that news is good, some of it is bad, and a lot of it you don’t give a sh*t about. But in the end, it is ALL here and you guys get to decide what you want to learn about.

Occasionally I will interject my analysis and even more rarely, I will add my opinion. In the end, my goal has always been to give you the best information possible, and let YOU come to conclusions. And if that differs from mine, that is totally cool. In fact, it is encouraged. I can’t even count the number of times that my opinion on something has been altered by something that one of you guys wrote in the comments or sent me in an email.

I have been a teacher in the real world at different times. And a good teacher knows that they don’t know everything. And you guys keep me humble.

So thank you. Really. I am not very good at expressing that, but I do believe it.

Rays Index is one of the first things I check every morning and then frequently throughout the day -- every day!

Cork, you do a great job "teaching" me and I just love Rays Index. Now I don't always agree, and I don't always disagree, but like a good teacher you give me plenty of ammunition to make up my own mind. I don't know how you possibly have the time to do all this, but once again THANK YOU for all your hard work!

Right back atcha, Prof. This is the first place I go for Rays news. The big thing you have here that the ESPNs and SIs of the world don't have is an understanding of the team and its operations in the context of the area, local politics and fanbase. If I just wanted numbers or wire story rehashes, I could go any number of places. You bring more to the table, and that's why we keep coming back.

I also love reading all the comments here. The group that comments here is passionate about the team and it's obvious we all want to watch these guys bring the title home, whether or not we agree on whether Maddon's an idiot, Upton is lazy, or Jennings should get his shot this year. It's fun reading all the opinions and maybe learning a thing or two in the process.

Thank YOU, Prof. I'm a girl who doesn't know much about or even care much about baseball in general, but I LOVE the Rays and RI is my favorite part of the morning during baseball season. So thanks for all you do!

Opinions are like asses..everyone has one...(can't remember if I made that up or just heard it)
What good is it to say Longoria is a good player, or Price is a good pitcher, or Maddon is a nice guy (that I mean) BUT...
to have an opinion/information/idea that is different, not obvious, gets people thinking, and to have fun with...that is the point of blogs sites like this....and this is a good one for keeping fans interest up....Good Job!

I think you just got a positive comment from Don. That is a win in itself right there.

BTW, you scared the living crap out of me with this post. I was scared at the end of your Thank You it would include something about you leaving and shutting this site down. That would have been a crappy birthday present for me, Im just saying. Im gonna go take a Xanex now to calm my almost seizure that I just about had. Thanks for that.

Cork,
You already know I respect your work and the job you try and accomplish even when you have to dish out the bad and sad.
Commenters with agendas come with the territory as well as people who honestly go to Rays Index for their first glimpse of Rays news.
Proud you are one of the Rays hombres. We are a small band, but we have the fight of many warriors (quote from some bad late night English-dubbed samurai movie).
You have stayed true to your course, and that is commendable. As our favorite beer guys says, "Stay thristy my friend".

That was nice, I open you site at least once a day. Not because I'm board but because if something is going on or has been reported I will find it here. Thanks, keep up the good work. I don't care what anyone thinks. I think we still have a shot. GO RAYS

You already know how I feel...Thank you for putting up with me, let alone me putting up with you!! Thanks for allowing all opinions, pro/con, on the board/off the board and keeping things in a way that makes you think. I appreciate it a great deal.

I also really appreciate this site. Many other baseball sites I've seen are either completely given over to geeky sabermetric analysis (which I like, but not ALL the time), or they seem to be the drunken ramblings of semi-literate fans. I see this as the thinking fan's site, with a range of analysis, speculation, gossip, argument, boosterism and criticism. A perfect mix.